Part 18 (1/2)
Another curious bird was observed, which had something of the appearance of the water-hen--to which kind it is also a.s.similated in its habits.
It was the ”faithful jacana,” or ”chuza,” as it is called in some places. There are several species of ”jacana” in South America, and also some species in the tropical countries of the East. That known as the ”faithful jacana” has a body about the size of a common fowl; but its legs and neck are longer, so that when standing it is a foot and a half in height. The body is of a brownish colour; and there is a crest of twelve black feathers on the nape of the neck, three inches in length. At the bend of the wings there are h.o.r.n.y spurs, half an inch long, with which the bird can defend itself when attacked. It is, however, a pacific bird, and only uses them in defence. The most singular character of the jacana is its long toes and claws. There are four upon each foot: three in front, and one directed backwards, and when standing these cover a base nearly as large as the body of the bird; and, indeed, upon ordinary ground they interfere with the freedom of its walking. But these spreading feet were not designed for ordinary ground. They were given it to enable it to pa.s.s lightly _over_ the leaves of water-lilies, and other yielding surfaces, through which a narrow-footed bird would at once sink. Of course as nature designed them for this purpose, they answer admirably, and the jacana skims along the surface of lily-covered ponds or streams without sinking. From the leaves it picks up such insects and larvae as lodge there, and which form its princ.i.p.al food.
The jacana utters a singular cry when alarmed. It remains silent during the whole day, and also at night, unless disturbed by the approach of some danger, when it utters its ”alarm cry.” So quick is its ear, that it can detect the least noise or rustling caused by any one approaching.
For this reason some tribes of Indians have tamed the jacana, and use it as a sentinel or ”watch-dog,” to apprise them of the approach of their enemies during the darkness of the night. Another use is also made of it by the Spanish-Americans. It is tamed and allowed to go about along with the domestic poultry. When these are attacked by hawks or other birds of prey, the jacana defends them with its sharp wing-spurs, and generally succeeds in beating off the enemy. It never deserts the flock, but accompanies it in all its movements, and will defend its charge with great fury and courage.
Besides the water-birds which were noticed by our travellers, many kinds were seen by them upon the sh.o.r.e and fluttering among the trees. There were parrots in flocks, and macaws in pairs--for these birds usually go in twos--there were trogons, and great billed toucans, and their kindred the aracaris; and there, too, were ”umbrella-chatterers,” of which there is a species quite white; and upon a fruit-covered tree, not far off, they saw a flock of the snow-white ”bell-birds” (_Casmarhynchos_).
These are about as large as blackbirds, with broad bills, from the base of which grows a fleshy tubercle that hangs down to the length of nearly three inches, like that of the turkey-c.o.c.k. The name of ”bell-birds” is given to them on account of the clear, bell-like ring of their note, which they utter about the middle of the day, when most other creatures of the tropical world are in silence or asleep.
Of course Don Pablo as a naturalist was interested in all those birds, and observed their habits and movements with attention. There was none of them about which he had not some strange story to tell, and in this way he was beguiling the after-supper hour. It was too early for them to go to rest--indeed it was not quite sunset; and Guapo for one had not yet had his supper, although that meal was now very near at hand. The marimonda was becoming charred and black, and would soon be ready for mastication.
Guapo sat by the fire, now and again raking up the cinders with a long pole which he held in his hand, while his eyes from time to time rested on the marimonda that was directly in front of him, _vis-a-vis_.
At length the monkey appeared to him to be ”done to a turn,” and with his _machete_ in one hand, and a forked stick in the other, he was just bending forward to lift it off the fire, when, to his horror, the ground was felt to move beneath him, causing him to stagger, and almost throwing him from his feet! Before he could recover himself, the surface again heaved up, and a loud report was heard, like the explosion of some terrible engine. Then another upheaval--another report--the ground opened into a long fissure--the staging of palms, and the half-burned cinders, and the charred monkey, were flung in all directions, and Guapo himself went sprawling upon his back!
Was it an earthquake? So thought the others, who were now on their feet running about in great consternation--the females screaming loudly. So, too, thought Guapo for the moment.
Their belief in its being an earthquake, however, was of short duration.
The shocks continued; the dried mud flew about in large pieces, and the burnt wood and splinters were showered in the air. The smoke of these covered the spot, and prevented a clear view; but through the smoke the terrified spectators could perceive that some large body was in motion-- apparently struggling for life! In another moment it broke through the bending stratum of mud, causing a long rift, and there was displayed before their eyes the hideous form of a gigantic crocodile!
Though not quite so terrible as an earthquake, it was a fearful monster to behold. It was one of the largest, being nearly twenty feet in length, with a body thicker than that of a man. Its immense jaws were of themselves several feet long, and its huge tusks, plainly seen, gave it a most frightful appearance. Its mouth was thrown open, as though it gasped for air, and a loud bellowing proceeded from its throat that sounded like a cross between the grunting of a hog and the lowing of a bull. The air was filled with a strong musky odour, which emanated from the body of the animal; and, what with the noise made by the crocodile itself, the screams and shouts of the party, the yelling of the various birds--for they, too, had taken up the cue--there was for some moments an utter impossibility of any voice being heard above the rest. It was, indeed, a scene of confusion. Don Pablo and his companions were running to and fro--Guapo was tumbling about where he had fallen--and the great lizard was writhing and flapping his tail, so that pots, pans, half-burnt f.a.ggots, and even Guapo's monkey, were being knocked about in every direction.
Of course such a violent scene could not be of long duration. It must end one way or the other. Guapo, who soon came to himself, now that he saw what it was that had pitched him over, had already conceived a plan for terminating it. He ran for his axe, which fortunately lay out of the range of the crocodile's tail, and having laid his hands upon it, he approached in a stealthy manner with the intention of striking a blow.
He directed himself towards the root of the reptile's tail, for he knew that that was the only place where a blow of the axe would cripple it; but, just as he was getting within reach, the crocodile suddenly s.h.i.+fted himself round, making his tail fly like a piece of sprung whalebone.
Guapo leaped hastily back,--as hastily, I will make bold to say, as any Indian of his years could have done, but not quick enough to clear himself quite. He wanted about eight inches; but in this case inches were as good as miles for the crocodile's purpose, for about eight inches of the tip of his tail came ”smack” across Guapo's naked s.h.i.+ns, and sent the old Indian head over heels.
It was just an accident that Guapo's shanks were not broken like sticks of sealing-wax; and had the blow been directed with the crocodile's full force, such would have been the unhappy result. As it was they were only ”scratched,” and Guapo, leaping to his feet, ran to recover his axe, for that weapon had flown several yards out of his hands at the blow.
By the time he laid hold of it, however, the _saurian_ was no longer on dry ground. His newly-opened eyes--opened, perhaps, for the first time for months--caught sight of the water close by, and crawling forward a step or two, he launched his ugly, mud-bedaubed carca.s.s into the welcome element. The next moment he had dived, and was out of sight.
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.
THE CROCODILE AND CAPIVARAS.
Guapo was in no humour for enjoying the conversation of that evening.
The crocodile had ”choused” him out of his favourite supper. The monkey was literally knocked to ”smithereens,” and the pieces that still adhered together were daubed all over with mud. It wasn't fit meat-- even for an Indian--and Guapo had to content himself with a dried plantain and a stew of jerked horse-flesh.
Of course Don Pablo and the rest examined with curiosity the great hole in the mud that had contained the crocodile. There it had lain during months of the dry season in a state of torpidity, and would, no doubt, have remained still longer, but that it was aroused by the big fire that Guapo had built over it. The irritation produced by this had been the cause of its sudden resurrection, for the crocodiles that thus bury themselves usually come out after the beginning of the heavy rains.
It was a true long-snouted crocodile, as Don Pablo had observed in the short opportunity he had had; and not an alligator--for it must be here remarked, that the true crocodile is found in many parts of Spanish America, and also in many of the West India Islands. For a long time it was believed that only alligators existed in America, and that the crocodiles were confined to the Eastern Continent. It is now known that at least one species of crocodile is an American animal, and several distinct species of alligators are inhabitants of the New World. There is the alligator of the Mississippi--which is the ”caiman” or ”cayman”
of the Spanish Americans; there is the spectacled alligator (_Alligator sclerops_), a southern species, so called from a pair of rings around its eyes having a resemblance to spectacles; and there is a still smaller species called the ”bava,” which is found in Lake Valencia, and in many South American rivers. The last kind is much hunted by the Indians, who, although they eat parts of all these creatures, are fonder of the flesh of the bava than of any of the others.
They had not intended to keep watch this night, as the naked promontory seemed to be a safe place to sleep upon; but now, after their adventure with the crocodile, they changed their minds, and they resolved to mount guard as before. The monster might easily crawl out of the water again, and, judging from the size of his mouth, it is not improbable to suppose that he might have swallowed one of the smaller individuals of the party at a single effort. Lest he might return to use either his teeth or his tail, the watch was set as on other nights--Leon taking the first turn, Guapo the second, and Don Pablo sitting it out till daybreak. The night pa.s.sed through, however, without any unusual disturbance; and although an occasional plunge was heard in the water close by, no more was seen of the crocodile until morning.
I have said _until_ morning--for he was seen then. Yes! indeed. That beauty was not going to let them off without giving them another peep at him--not he.
They were awake and up before day; and as the fire had been kept burning all night, they had now nothing more to do than rake up the embers, and hang on the coffee-kettle. It was not yet bright day when breakfast was already cooked, and they sat down to eat it.